Li et al. (2025) Investigating the Regulation Effects of Vegetation Restoration on Precipitation Patterns Over the Loess Plateau, China

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Identification

• Journal: International Journal of Climatology
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-07-16
• Authors: Chao Li, Guangshuai Li, Bin Zhu, Xi Chen, Chong‐Yu Xu, Zengxin Zhang
• DOI: 10.1002/joc.70006

Research Groups

Not specified in the provided text.

Short Summary

This study examines the impact of large-scale vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau's precipitation from 1982 to 2018, finding that restoration initially increased precipitation via enhanced evapotranspiration, though this effect began to diminish after 2015.

Objective

• To reveal the biophysical mechanisms underlying vegetation-mediated precipitation modulation on China's Loess Plateau.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional (China's Loess Plateau).
• Temporal Scale: 1982–2018.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model.
• Data sources: Multi-decadal satellite records.

Main Results

• Temporal Trends: Precipitation response was negligible between 1982 and 1999, followed by an upward trend after 2000 (most prominent in arid regions), which began to diminish after 2015.
• Biophysical Mechanism: Vegetation restoration increased evapotranspiration, which modified surface hydrothermal dynamics and energy conversion, thereby increasing atmospheric humidity and air movement to boost precipitation.
• Quantitative Impact: Between 2000 and 2018, vegetation restoration contributed 3.68 mm/a to regional precipitation, accounting for approximately 31.32% of the total precipitation growth rate.
• Feedback Loop: A positive feedback loop was identified where vegetation restoration enhanced both soil moisture and regional precipitation; however, excessive vegetation may exacerbate water scarcity if precipitation increases do not keep pace.

Contributions

• Quantifies the specific contribution of vegetation restoration to precipitation growth on the Loess Plateau and identifies a temporal shift (post-2015) where the positive biophysical effects on precipitation and soil moisture began to wane.

Funding

Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Li2025Investigating,
  author = {Li, Chao and Li, Guangshuai and Zhu, Bin and Chen, Xi and Xu, Chong‐Yu and Zhang, Zengxin},
  title = {Investigating the Regulation Effects of Vegetation Restoration on Precipitation Patterns Over the Loess Plateau, China},
  journal = {International Journal of Climatology},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1002/joc.70006},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.70006}
}